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Helicobacter pylori – the bacteria in 50% of us that you need to know about!

The Helicobacter pylori bacteria pictured here

loves our stomach soft tissue walls. It tears into the walls and moves within the tissue. There are 2 types of the bad version of this bacteria, one that “swims”within the walls rather peacefully, and one that aggressively destroys the tissue.

Both are not good.

Now here’s the issue. Apart from the damage they do it’s known that about 1% of the humans with these end up with cancer in the stomach. 1%, nothing hey? 1% of half the population is a lot! A lot of cancer!

Now get this however.

There is strong evidence that these bacteria can also help us. Tests have shown that the presence of these bacteria help reduce allergies, asthma, lung cancer and heart conditions! It is now suspected that the wipe out of these bacteria (e.g. via over abuse of antibiotics) may be linked to the actual increase in these illnesses especially in the west. It is also suspected that the consumption of alcohol, tabacco and other aggressive substances may be the things triggering the bacteria to cause stomach inflamations, i.e the 1% cancer issue also!

So, we have 2 aspects to make this not easy at all.

I guess the best way to deal with this is to test for the bacteria IF you have stomach problems. These bacteria can be detected via a special liquid which when swallowed reacts with them to produce a particular gas. This can be detected by a device. Easy to test!

What gets rid of these? Antibiotics, and if you want to avoid these (like I do as they wreck our gut flora), concentrated high quality broccoli sprout suppliments. After about 2 weeks of these the bacteria are usually well reduced if not totally gone. They loose their ability to protect themselves from the stomach acids.

I’d be very cautious on antibiotics. But if you have issues, the natural suppliments approach may be the best compromise!